That's a beautiful thing Noel.....all the best from The TO's!!

The TakeOffs
"Kauai's Only All-Instrumental Surf Band"
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This has already been one of the most amazing years of my life. But yesterday my daughter, Corradina, earned another Special Olympics Gold Medal for basketball at the Pennsylvania State Championship Games. More important, she is now reading at a Fourth Grade level, which we had long hoped she'd accomplish before she graduated High-School. She's actually entering HS this fall. We now have hope she'll be an independent reader by adulthood, which is an awesome accomplishment for someone who was never expected to read at all.

My son, Henry, has had the best year in school he's ever had. He transferred into the Criminal Justice program over half-way through it's three year curriculum, and he's nailing the program. He quickly caught up and is doing A-level work. The change fired him up and all his other grades are much higher than ever.

Then, we took his wonderful girlfriend under our family wings a little before Christmas. She'd been struggling very badly in school. With all our help and support, mostly from Henry (Who knew he was a natural-born math teacher? We didn't.) but also my wife and me, she's had the best year of school and highest grades in her whole life and is a very happy young woman. And my daughter finally has the older "sister" she's always wanted.

I have no idea what tomorrow will bring, but this has all been wonderful to achieve and experience.

This is Noel. Reverb's at maximum an' I'm givin' 'er all she's got.

Last edited: Jun 08, 2013 16:04:52

Just a quick update. My son Henry just landed in Montana, where he'll work for the next month to help the ranch build some new facilities. They need a few new buildings, extra showers, some horse stalls and fences. He will be very busy.

I did something yesterday I'd never done before. Henry's girlfriend has rainbow stripes under blond bangs. They'd faded but a redo is prohibitively expensive. So I did it. Came out better than the original (ridiculously expensive) professional job if I say so myself, and she's delighted with the results. Now I'm trying to convince my wife to let me color my daughter's hair, too.

Bet you didn't see this coming. I didn't.

This is Noel. Reverb's at maximum an' I'm givin' 'er all she's got.

Last edited: Jul 13, 2013 21:34:01

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Thanks, Greg & Matt! Everything changes next year. Henry will join the Navy following graduation, after he comes back from one last summer working in Montana on the horse ranch. Corradina will be without her brother for the first time since we reunited them in 2000, so we're trying to make this year as special as possible for her.

This is Noel. Reverb's at maximum an' I'm givin' 'er all she's got.

Congrats Noel!

This is a great thread.

My newest grandaughter was a big 1 yesterday. They are in Portland Maine. She celebrated with a "whoopie pie" (as opposed to a birthday cake, when in Portland, do as the Portlands do) I cannot wait to see the video of that!

My oldest grandaughter (11)is getting a Fender Strat for Christmas. Hummmmm, there is a Santa Claus....... his name is Ed.

Katcher Klaus

Traditional........speak softly and play through a big blonde amp. Did I mention that I still like big blonde amps?

Thanks, Neil, Ed & Jeff. It has been an amazing journey for us all. Here they were just after coming to America.

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We were told Corradina might never learn to talk or perform complex mechanical tasks. This is her in 2010.

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This is Noel. Reverb's at maximum an' I'm givin' 'er all she's got.

Last edited: Sep 04, 2013 14:40:21

My, how time flies! Well done, Noel! Congrats!

Otto & The Ottomans
Kennedy Custom Guitars

Amelia already shows signs of having this wonderful afliction. She lugs my full size guitars around and likes to put on "shows" down in the Boatwerx.

Her last "presentation" consisted of ed on guitar, Amelia on vocals and her dad, my son Dave, on drums. We were performing one of Amelia's originals with grandson, Carson "turning the knobs." I'll bet we rehearsed that thing twentyfive times.

I did inform seven year old Carson that he'd better leave those mitts off the Mackie 32 that stays covered up with it's favorite beach towel.

Everything else was fair game.

Fun really.

ed

Traditional........speak softly and play through a big blonde amp. Did I mention that I still like big blonde amps?

Yeah! I want to hear or see a performance of "turning the knobs".

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